Frozen Four 2012 Championship: Hot Goalies Make BC-Ferris State an Epic Battle

Ferris State might look like an underdog, but with Taylor Nelson between the pipes, it has just as good a shot of upsetting Boston College as any other team.

Throughout the Bulldogs' unanticipated run toward the national title, Nelson, a senior, has allowed just one goal in each of Ferris State's three wins. He has registered a .961 save percentage after stopping 74 of 77 shots en route to being named the Midwest Regional tournament MVP.

This season, Nelson has compiled a 21-6-3 record, a 2.06 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage, leading Ferris State to a 16-7-5 record and a first-place finish in the CCHA.

Looking at his numbers, it's not hard to see why the Bulldogs have made it this far.

BC's Parker Milner has been just a tiny bit more impressive, having stopped 83 of 84 shots this postseason. The only goal he allowed came in Thursday's 6-1 win over Minnesota in the northeast regionals.

In his first full season taking over for John Muse, he compiled a 28-5-0 record with a 1.68 GAA and a .936 save percentage.

Goaltending is the secret to winning in the Frozen Four. It's the reason BC has been able to do it two times in the last five years. When John Muse took over for Corey Schneider (whose .937 save percentage is currently second best in the NHL), he led them to an NCAA title in his first season in net for the Eagles. He did the same thing again two years later, and now Milner is poised to continue BC's legacy of lights-out goaltending.

The only problem is that someone just like him stands in his way. Nelson gives Ferris State just as good a chance as Milner gives BC, and because of that, Saturday night's showdown will be a battle.